1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical article having antireflection properties imparted by a thin film and having self-healing properties and scuff resistance.
2. Discussion of Background
Heretofore, films have been produced in a large quantity by extrusion molding or casting of resins and have been used in a wide range of applications. Especially, in thin display devices such as liquid display devices, a plurality of phase difference films, light diffusing films or polarizing films are used at their light transmitting portions, and films constitute optical articles indispensable for the display function. Such films are usually continuously produced in relatively large sizes and cut into necessary sizes for use. Accordingly, it has been difficult to employ a conventional batch treatment method such as evaporation or sputtering to apply an antireflection treatment on the surface, since such a batch method is poor in the productivity.
On the other hand, an optical article made of a material such as glass or a resin is desired to have antireflection properties to reduce unnecessary reflection of lights and to improve the transmittance. It has been common to apply an antireflection treatment by forming a thin film by e.g. evaporation on the surface of such an optical article to impart such antireflection properties. However, many optical articles are in existence to which no antireflection treatment has been applied, mainly because of the cost. Especially when the optical article is of a large size, the cost for antireflection treatment is so high that it is common not to apply an antireflection treatment.
To solve such problems, it has been proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 019801/1990 to use, as an antireflection treating agent, a polymer having a fluorine-containing aliphatic ring structures. This polymer has a low refractive index and is soluble in a certain specific fluorine type solvent, whereby it is possible to apply antireflection treatment to e.g. films in good productivity. However, the coated film of this polymer is soft as compared with the ,coated film of an inorganic material obtainable by evaporation or sputtering. Accordingly, the article having an antireflection layer formed by this polymer, has a drawback that it is susceptible to scratching when contacted with a hard object, and there will be a certain restriction in its use when it is employed as an exterior part of an apparatus.